Final answer:
The Portuguese primarily colonized Brazil due to geographical proximity, economic opportunities, and the lack of wealthy cultures compared to other parts of South America. They brought sugarcane and slaves to set up profitable plantations in Brazil.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Portuguese only colonized Brazil out of all North America primarily due to a combination of factors such as geographical proximity, economic opportunities, and the lack of wealthy, urbanized cultures in Brazil compared to other parts of South America. The Portuguese were initially more interested in dominating trade routes in the Indian Ocean, so they mostly ignored Brazil until French Huguenots tried to establish a colony there.
With the success of cultivating sugar cane in the Caribbean, Portuguese entrepreneurs brought cane and slaves to Brazil and set up profitable plantations along the northern coast. Additionally, the Portuguese already had established colonies and trade ties in Africa, which supplied enslaved labor to the sugar plantations.